Alone in December  1st Place Winner
by True Blood on Twitter
Summary: 1st Place Winner of the True Blood on Twitter Holiday Contest 2011.  Bill wants to bring humans and vampires together by throwing a holiday party. He enlists the help of Sookie and Eric. Entries revolve around the events before, during & after the party.


**True Blood on Twitter Holiday Writing Contest**

**Title:**Alone in December

**Author**: Lauren Wittenberger

**Characters: **Eric Northman, Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, Pam Swynford De Beaufort and Russell Edgington

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the rights to any character or names of places mentioned. True Blood is a creation of Alan Ball and HBO, based off Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels. All credit goes to them.

I

_December 11th, 12 a.m._

"Please sit down, Eric."

"I'd prefer to stand if that's alright with you, your Majesty." Eric stood between the two quilted, leather chairs, staring at a pile of holiday cards on Bill's desk. "I see you're quite popular this holiday season," he said, a hint of disdain in his voice and an arch in his brow.

"Yes, fortunately. After the incident at the Tolerance Convention I'm surprised I have as many supporters as I do. Though we spent a good deal of time glamouring the witnesses of the event, I had assumed there would be at least one person who escaped us and fed the story to the local media." Bill picked up a card and opened it. A parody of "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" blared from the glittering cardboard, describing in depth a new holiday tradition of burning a vampire over a large yuletide bonfire.

Bill reclined in his chair. "Aside from this card, from a member of the Fellowship of the Sun, of course, " Bill continued, tossing it into the trash beside his desk, "I have had no negative relations with humans since Halloween. The events of this past autumn have not set back our goal to rebuild our public image. We are coming closer to restoring our reputation, which Russell Edgington worked so hard to destroy last year."

"That _is _a good thing, "replied Eric, somewhat distantly. He looked out the large window into the windy night, the moon high in the sky, illuminating the black trees. His thoughts elsewhere, Eric strode to the window and placed his hand on the glass, which had been cooled by the icy frost settling over the small town of Bon Temps. In that moment, Eric thought he had seen a creature scamper through the brush in Bill's yard, darting towards a large sepulcher in the cemetery. Memories over a thousand years old instantly flooded back, but were snuffed out by Bill's voice.

"It is also why I've asked you here tonight, Eric," said Bill as he rose from his seat.

Eric turned and ignored what had caught his attention outside. "What is it that you want me to do?"

"I want to have a Holiday Ball, attended by humans and vampires."

Eric laughed. "You want them to what, gather under the mistletoe? I can arrange that at Fangtasia without all the planning and preparation."

"I'm serious, Eric. A gathering of this sort would help to solidify our place in society. If we can peacefully coordinate an event of this kind, it would foster goodwill between humans and vampires and help us regain what trust of theirs we had before Russell's medieval display on national television. And with your connections and your flair for event planning, I think we could plan a great party. Just think of all the people we could bring together."

Eric sighed. He wasn't enthusiastic about being surrounded by anyone, human or vampire. Autumn had left a bittersweet taste in his mouth. Marnie's curse, living (and falling in love) with Sookie, and then experiencing her rejection – this was where his mind was these days. Party planning was not high on his list, but if Bill requested it, he must obey as Sheriff of the Area.

"Very well," he said, his confident tone of voice disguising his worried mind. "I'll make a few calls and get back to you about particulars. The guest list and whatnot."

"One more thing," interrupted Bill. "I'm going to ask Sookie to help us. She can give this ball a more _human _feel. She knows, better than anybody I imagine, what a modern, human Christmas is like. I mean, I haven't really celebrated Christmas since I've been turned. Lorena wasn't really one for Christmas." Bill shuddered. "Have you?"

Eric looked at the window again. The wind had stopped and there was no sign of the creature he had seen scurrying through the cemetery earlier. He turned away and continued for the door.

"No, I haven't and I don't care to," replied Eric.

II

_December 12th, 2:30 a.m._

Truthfully, Eric could recall many holiday traditions as he had lived through over a millennium of different ones. However, as Pam tried on different dresses and pestered him for opinions on each one the following night at Fangtasia, memories of his last Christmas as a human remained in the forefront of his thoughts.

"Eric!" Pam raised her voice, noticing her maker's absent expression, clearly ignoring her selection of holiday outfits. Her voice echoed in the empty bar. "Can you please help me figure out which ensemble to wear? I've narrowed it down to this red number or this luscious burgundy one." She ran over to the booth where she had strewn her dresses about and picked up the two in question. "I was thinking the red at first," she said doubtfully, one hand holding up a long sequined dress with a thigh high slit and in the other hand a pair of emerald earrings. "But then I realized it read too 'Christmas' and not 'Holiday.' After all, I can't alienate our lovely guests celebrating Hanukkah or Kwanza." She playfully licked her lips and held up her other option – a tight halter neck gown with a low-cut back in rich, burgundy velvet. "Which do you think will garner a wider selection of willing donors?"

"There will be no biting allowed at the ball, Pam," replied Eric sternly, running his hands through his blond hair. Pam noticed that he had scarcely looked at either dress.

"Well, excuse me," Pam retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "What is your problem lately? You've been so distant and when you talk, you always –"

"You heard me," snapped Eric coldly with his fangs drawn, as he stood up to leave the bar. "That is an order," he added when he had reached the exit. Flinging the door wide open, he saw a familiar face that brought warmth to his icy mood.

"Hi, Eric. Going somewhere?"

"Hello, Sookie. And yes, I was just leaving." Eric attempted to walk around her. She stood in his way.

"Bill called and told me to call you to discuss something about some party ya'll are having? He didn't give me much to go on, so I called the bar after you guys closed, but no one picked up." Seeing all of the dresses on the booth, Sookie figured it was because Pam was too busy deciding on an outfit, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. Her relationship with Eric's progeny had become a bit strained over the past couple of months. Sookie believed that it was because she had grown closer to Eric when he had amnesia, and she assumed that Pam felt somewhat threatened by a female presence that seemed to leave a lasting impression on her maker. Remembering that vampire children could feel the pain and suffering of their makers, Sookie decided to try her best not to upset Pam further. Remaining friendly and flashing them both a smile, Sookie asked, "So do ya'll wanna tell me what this is all about?" She was determined to put aside her mixed feelings for Eric and Bill and focus on spreading some holiday cheer.

Eric looked down at Sookie, her hair falling in soft, golden waves over her shoulders. He could smell her familiar scent and couldn't tell if it was her house (technically, his house on paper) with all its homey rooms and furniture, which had seen several generations of Stackhouses come into the world, or her unique fairy blood. Snapping out of his thoughts, he met her eyes and replied with a blank, "Sure." He then turned towards Pam, who was staring at the both of them with her arms crossed and waved her away, signaling that he wanted her out of the room.

"Fine. I'm hungry anyways. But you have to help me decide on an outfit later." Pam flashed a frustrated look at Eric and a scornful one at Sookie. The next moment, she was out the door.

Sitting down at a table, Eric related Bill's request for a cozy, yet sophisticated party to be held somewhere in Bon Temps where both humans and vampires could share in the holiday spirit. Sookie listened and when Eric had finished speaking, she asked, "So you want me to be the hostess at this thing?"

"Yes, you would be in charge of hosting it and adding some touches daywalkers would appreciate. I will do most of the planning," Eric said professionally, trying to distance himself. Though he had initially embraced his feelings for Sookie, her rejection of him made him feel uncomfortably vulnerable and he tried to keep his present interaction with her strictly business.

"And where will you be during the party?"

"I won't be attending," Eric replied, eyes on the door.

"Why not?" Sookie shot him a confused look.

"Honestly, I just don't feel like being here." He was about to get up and show Sookie out when she grabbed his hand in an attempt to stop him. In an instant, she was amidst scenes of a time far removed from the present. She saw heavy snowfall on trees taller than any she had ever seen. Reaching out she felt the cold snow land upon the palms of her hands. She heard men yelling, so she turned and saw a group of warriors hunting a wire-haired boar with large tusks. Suddenly she was transported and before her was a new, much warmer scene. She saw a family feasting around a blazing hearth. Sitting by the fire, singing in a language she had once heard but did not understand, was a young man covered in furs and armor, blond hair framing his shining blue eyes and familiar face.

Sookie slumped back into her chair. "Was that you?" she cried in disbelief. "How did I…what just happened? Did I just see into your past? Was that a memory?"

Bewildered, Eric took her other hand. "What is it that you saw?"

Shaken by what she had just experienced, Sookie told Eric about her vision. She described the scene in great detail, as if she had been there over a thousand years ago, feeling the snow on her skin, smelling the aroma of the food, and hearing the ancient melodies sung around the warm fire. Perplexed, Eric sat quietly in front of her, his eyes on the floor. He knew that Sookie had unknown powers she couldn't fully harness, like the sparks she could shoot out of her hands and her mind-reading ability. Seeing fleeting, yet detailed visions of someone's past was a new skill, one that neither of them had expected.

"So what were you doing there?" Sookie asked, her eyes wide. "And why was I able to see it?"

Eric heaved a heavy sigh and answered curtly, "The forest you saw was near Öland, where I lived my human life. That was my last Christmas before Russell Edgington massacred my family the following year. And as to why you saw that, I haven't a clue."

"And why were those big Vikings chasing a pig?" Sookie couldn't help but think of Marianne shape-shifting and wreaking havoc on her hometown. She shuddered at the thought.

"It was a boar – not a pig. And it is a Viking Christmas tradition."

Eric stood to leave the bar. He could see that his abrupt explanation and lack of interest in why Sookie was able to see this ancient memory concerned her, but he was determined to leave the bar and Louisiana altogether. For the first time since he had been turned, Eric was not preoccupied with his own vampire agenda. Much of his vampire life had been spent searching for Russell Edgington with Godric, romancing beautiful women, running Fangtasia or working as Sheriff of Area 5. Now, it seemed he had accomplished all that he had wanted. He had taken care of Russell, the bar was doing well and he was still Sheriff, despite helping Bill kill Nan Flannigan. The previous autumn he felt as if a relationship with Sookie could give him a renewed sense of purpose. But, since she decided that she was confused about her feelings for the two vampires in her life, that sense of purpose had disappeared and he was once again alone. Now, he felt an overwhelming desire to go back to the place where he never felt alone – his farm in Öland.

"Where are you going?" Sookie called after Eric, who was now standing in the doorway of the bar.

"I'm going home," replied Eric. "It is the only place I've ever been truly at peace." He hesitated. "Besides the days I spent living in your house, sleeping in your arms."

"Please don't go, Eric," Sookie pleaded, going to him, tugging at the sleeve of his leather jacket. "I know both you're not happy with the decision I made but please, just stay." In the last couple of months she had seen very little of her two vampire loves and up to this point she had preferred it that way. She still loved Bill and Eric equally and she felt that too much interaction with either of them would only leave her frustrated, confused and torn. But, seeing how troubled Eric clearly was, she couldn't bear the thought of him spending the holidays alone. Reining in her emotions, she calmly told him that she and Bill needed his assistance to ensure that the party was a success. "And if you're feeling homesick," she added with a smile, "I'll try to incorporate some Viking elements to make it feel a little more like home."

Looking down at Sookie, Eric suddenly felt oddly human. He was about to lie, something that wouldn't have bothered him before. However, when under Marnie's spell he had promised Sookie that he would never disappoint her and he even went as far to admit that he loved her. The latter was something he had never said to a woman, not even to the wife he had as a human. Though he was reticent to lie to her, at that moment he wanted nothing more than to be far away from Shreveport and Bon Temps.

"Fine," Eric answered, reluctance heavy in his voice. "I suppose a few more nights wouldn't make a difference. And I'm interested in seeing your interpretation of Norse tradition," he added, giving Sookie a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Too bad I won't be here to see it," he thought to himself.

He attempted a small, reassuring smile. "Still," he continued, adjusting his jacket, "I'm going out. I need to check out vampire caterers for the ball. Goodbye, Sookie."

He exited the bar and shut the door behind him. He passed by his gleaming Corvette, making a mental note to call his trusted daywalker and tell him to return the vehicle to his house. He then walked out into the center of the desolate parking lot and shot into the sky, unsure of when he would return.

III

_December 12th, 8 a.m._

Sookie woke up early the next morning, her to-do list a mile long. She looked out the window of her warm bedroom and saw the brittle branches of the surrounding trees gently swaying against a grey sky.

"Another cold day," Sookie complained. "Man, I miss tanning in the summer sun." She opened the creaky drawer of her grandmother's old dresser and pulled out a thick, cream cable-knit sweater. Then she walked over to the closet and dragged out a bin of old pants. She hardly ever wore pants. Most of her time was spent in either dainty sundresses or the teeny black shorts Sam required for waitressing at Merlotte's.

"These will do for today," Sookie said aloud, pulling out a pair of slim blue jeans and slipping them on. She grabbed her cell-phone and went to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, still feeling groggy as a result of her late night visit to Fangtasia. As she sipped, she noticed she had a missed text message. It was from Bill, who had informed her late the previous night that the ball was to be held at Caroline Bellefleur's mansion. Sookie laughed at the thought of Bill, a 171 year-old Vampire King and southern gentleman, texting. Then she remembered that Eric, who was even older than Bill, had an iPhone that he thoroughly enjoyed using.

"I don't even have Internet in my house and I'm human," she remarked. She suddenly jumped. "Cheese and rice! That reminds me. I need to go to the library and look up Norse Christmas traditions for this ball thing before I go buy decorations. Good thing I have all of today and tomorrow off."

Bundled up, Sookie hopped in her car and headed into town to the Bon Temps library. She shivered as she drove and rubbed her hands together to warm them. Pulling into the library parking lot she said to herself, "You would think Bill or Eric could fix my heater as a 'Thank you for rescuing us from being burnt at the stake' gift," her teeth chattering as she attempted to imitate Bill's thick, southern accent.

When she walked towards the entrance, she thought she saw a large, furry animal run into the bushes. Her initial thought was 'werewolf' and for a second she panicked, nearly convincing herself that it must have been a wolf working for Russell Edgington. Hurrying inside, however, her panic subsided and rational thinking set in as she remembered that Russell had met the true death. She didn't know the details of what had happened the night that Bill, Eric and Alcide dragged Russell out of Fangtasia and she preferred it that way. She had seen a lot of death since she had met the vampires. Her thoughts shifted back to the animal in the parking lot. "Must have just been a dog that got out," she told herself as she sat down in front of one of the computers.

She typed in 'Viking Christmas' into the search bar and instantly hundreds of thousands of results popped up on the screen. "I wonder if I can get Internet this fast out by my house," Sookie marveled. Opening several links she began to scan the pages for descriptions of various traditions in which Vikings took part, taking note of the things she saw in Eric's memory in particular.

"So, Vikings hunted a boar during Christmastime as a sacrifice to Frey, the god of fertility and the harvest," Sookie read as she jotted down some notes. "That must have been why those big Vikings were chasing down that fat ol' pig." Sookie tapped her pen on the desk. She began to think about why she saw that specific instance in Eric's memory. "Maybe he misses his family and the place where he grew up," Sookie considered, pausing in her search. Still, she didn't understand why she could see his memories at all. "Does this mean I have stronger feelings for Eric? This kind of thing has _never _happened with Bill – at least not yet." She shook herself and resumed her research. "Snap out of it, Sookie. You made your decision and now you gotta stick with it," she said firmly, forgetting she was inside a library.

"Shhh!" The librarian glared in her direction.

"Sorry!" Sookie whispered, embarrassed.

Over the next couple of hours Sookie learned all about Norse holiday traditions. By lunchtime she had compiled a list of things she needed to buy in order to incorporate the Norse theme. She had even devised a tentative menu that included several Scandinavian dishes. Pleased with her progress and all she had learned, she headed off to purchase one or two Christmas trees and stop by the crafts store. While she was out, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. But she ignored it, assuring herself that she had a ton of work to do and that it was probably just the larger amount of people out running their own holiday errands.

IV

_December 14th, 2:30 a.m._

"What do you mean you don't know where he is?" Bill asked. He abruptly stopped signing his holiday cards, dropping his pen onto his desk.

"Do you no longer understand English, Bill?" Pam retorted, raising her voice to a near yell. "I don't know where Eric is. I've tried his cell-phone and all I've gotten is his voicemail. He left some instructions and a list of names and phone numbers to call to finish planning the party, as well as his credit card. That's all I know. He normally counts the night's take but he never showed when the bar closed."

"Well how long has it been since you last saw him?" asked Bill. He began to rub his temples.

"Two nights ago. Sookie came by and he asked me to leave. Again, that's all I know." With that, Pam brusquely hung up the phone.

"Damn," shouted Bill as a shoved his phone aside. He was more baffled than angry. He had been getting along with Eric quite well since Halloween. Killing Marnie, Nan Flannigan, and the "gay storm troopers," as Eric had so aptly put it, had been a bonding experience for both of them and they had been working hard to keep the Authority from discovering the murders. It was only in the past few days that Eric had been unusually reserved.

"Perhaps he is simply not one for the holidays," Bill decided, picking up his expensive ballpoint pen. He decided that he wouldn't worry about Eric's whereabouts since Pam could finish planning in his stead. He resumed signing his cards when he heard a knock on his office door.

"Come in," answered Bill absently as he wrote.

"Heya, Bill," replied Sookie, brightly, "I came to return your credit card."

Bill jumped to his feet and walked around to the front of his desk. His skin looked even paler against his elegant, black suit, silver tie and sparkling cufflinks. Sookie took notice.

"Aren't you a little overdressed for signing Christmas cards?" Sookie asked, holding back a giggle. "What kind of cards do vampires send on Christmas anyways?" She walked over the desk, dropping her bags. On the front of the card, she saw a cartoon drawing of a large family, seated at Christmas dinner, some arguing and others flinging food or texting on their cell-phones. On the inside read the message, "Hope your holidays aren't a pain in the neck."

"You vampires and your puns," she said, rolling her eyes and remembering that Bill once told her that puns were once considered the highest form of humor.

Bill shrugged and changed the subject. "What do you have in the bags?"

"Oh that!" Sookie's eyes lit up. "I got all these great decorations for the ball. Eric was feeling a bit down the other day so I decided to get a bunch of stuff to really give it that Viking feeling. I think he's homesick or something." She dragged a log out of one of the bags. "See? It's a Yule log. Vikings used to offer them to the gods for protection in the coming New Year. I think they're supposed to have some drawings on them too. Runes, I think they're called." She stuffed the log back into the paper bag." Anyway, I figured I could get Eric to do those himself since he was there and all."

Bill listened attentively as Sookie showed him some of her purchases and their significance to Norse tradition. He didn't have the heart to tell her that Eric was missing. After putting in so much effort into creating a holiday atmosphere with Eric in mind, she would be so disappointed to learn that he probably wouldn't attend. Bill felt a pang of jealousy as he realized that Eric was her inspiration. Though both felt the sting of rejection, they had respected Sookie's decision to belong to no one. Now Bill was feeling as if her heart was leaning in Eric's direction.

"So what do you think?" Sookie asked eagerly, struggling to stuff her purchases back in their bags. "Do you think he'll like it?"

"Of course he will," Bill said with false reassurance.

A moment passed and neither Sookie nor Bill uttered a word. They merely stared at each other, searching for something to say. Finally, Bill broke the awkward silence and asked, "You really care for him, don't you?" He had turned as he said this, not wanting to meet her gaze. He was embarrassed to ask, but he wanted to know if she her affections had shifted since Halloween.

"Can we not do this right now?" Sookie groaned. "I've got a ton of work I need to do." She turned on her heel and walked out of the office, into the foyer. Her initial resolution to date neither vampire was hard enough to make and she didn't have the energy or desire to rehash her conflicted emotions with Bill. As she was about to reach the porch, Bill's hand caught her on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up. Let me help you carry these to your car, at the very least," said Bill, taking a couple of the bags.

They walked to the car in silence, the chill filling the air around them. Sookie exhaled and watched her breath materialize. "Yet another thing vamps can't do," she though silently. Bill, noticing her pensive frown, broke the silence once more.

"Something wrong?" he asked, putting the last bag in her trunk.

"Oh no, I was just thinking you vamps can't see your breath in the cold. Or even feel the cold for that matter." She bit her lip nervously, anxious to get home and away from Bill before he could bring up their complicated relationship again.

"Well," Bill said, turning to face Sookie, "We_ can_ feel the important things." He paused. "Like heartbreak." He opened her car door for her and motioned her inside. "Goodnight, Sookie. I'll see you in a few nights."

"Ugh, there it is," Sookie thought as she put her keys in the ignition. Fighting back tears and ignoring what he said, she wished Bill a goodnight.

Sookie drove home, listening to her favorite country station and reflecting on the past hour. She was trying to keep herself from crying. It had been the first time she had spoken to Bill for more than five minutes since Halloween and though she had thought it was going well initially, she felt completely guilty knowing that Eric and now Bill were both still suffering from her choice to walk out on both of them. Pulling up to her house, she realized just how physically and emotionally exhausted she was from the past couple of days. All of her shopping and crafting combined with her brief, yet draining talks with Eric and Bill had left her yearning for a good night's rest. She left her bags in the trunk, dragged herself into her bed without changing and fell into a deep sleep.

V

_December 19th, 6 p.m._

The day of the ball had finally come and Caroline Bellefleur's home was resplendent with holiday warmth. Sookie walked out to her car and marveled at the glowing mansion. She had commissioned Terry and Sheriff Andy to string brightly-colored lights along the porch and line the driveway with the rustic, life-size, twig-woven goats she had found at the craft store. That particular find had pleased her as she had discovered goats were significant in Norse Christmas tradition. The Vikings believed Thor, god of thunder, rode a chariot pulled by two goats. Pulling a box of festive ribbons from her trunk, she decided to tie bows around the goats' necks to give them a little more holiday flair.

"Much better," she said smiling as she tied the last bow. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Sookie, this looks marvelous." It was Bill and his guards. They too were impressed with the sight of Caroline's house.

"Wait 'til you see the inside," replied Sookie, grabbing Bill by the hand. "Some of you guys stay here and make sure none of the guests have bombs strapped to them or something," she advised, thinking of Luke, a religious fanatic, who intended to kill all the vampires in Godric's nest over a year ago using that tactic. "We don't need any party crashers.

As Sookie and Bill stepped inside the foyer, his jaw dropped. Before him, was Christmas like he had never seen. Sookie had draped garlands of pine and holly on the magnificent staircase, while potted white and crimson poinsettia arrangements flanked the doorway. In the middle of the entry stood a Christmas tree nearly 13 feet tall, completely adorned with ornaments and lights. Looking closer he could see that some were store-bought, like a small, smiling Santa with a bag of toys slung over his shoulder, and others were homemade. Bill thought the effect was lovely as the juxtaposition of the two kinds of ornaments gave the tree a sophisticated, yet _human, _touch.

"See this one," pointed Sookie. "Apparently Terry made this one in the 5th grade." Bill smiled at the picture frame constructed with sticks, inside a faded photograph of Terry giving Andy bunny-ears, each of them wearing a matching and rather unattractive knit red and green sweater.

"Adorable." The sight caused Bill to think of his own children and their first Christmases. Because he was away, fighting in the Civil War, he had missed spending the holidays with his family. It had always pained him to know that he never spent one Christmas with them.

"Come see how I set up the dining room, Bill!" exclaimed Sookie, her glittering white dress catching all the lights. She led him through heavy double doors and held out her arms proudly. She had combined the living and dining areas into one large space and removed all the furniture, placing rustic, circular wooden tables and chairs all around. On each table stood a log encircled by a ring of candles. The silverware was meticulously placed beside the sparkling white dishes, whose rims contained a delicate red, floral design. In the center of each plate sat a red napkin, held in a wooden ring.

"I called Eric so that he could do the rune things on the logs like I told you," explained Sookie. "But I haven't been able to get hold of him. So I got Terry to carve some pretty designs on 'em. See?" She held up one of the logs, displaying the intersecting lines and swirls. "I think Eric'll like them. Don't you?"

"I'm sure he will," said Bill, forgetting for a moment that Eric wasn't coming.

"And look what I've done here," said Sookie gesturing to the fireplace. She had placed some small children's boots by the fire as decoration. Inside, they were filled with hay and sugar.

"What's that for?" inquired Bill as he picked up one of the boots and looked at its contents.

"Apparently," Sookie explained, "Kids used to fill their shoes up with hay and sugar for some Norse god's, horse. Sleipnir, I think he's called." She struggled to pronounce the name. "Anyways, in return his rider would give 'em presents. Guess he's like their version of Santa Claus."

"I suppose you're right. At any rate, I'm sure Eric will enjoy the Viking touches you've made."

"I sure hope so. Have you talked to him by the way?" Sookie asked, looking a bit worried. "I hope he likes the food. I got Terry and Lafayette to make some wild boar and meatballs and other Scandinavian dishes. I had to order most of the meat from a fancy butcher in Shreveport."

Bill hesitated. He was about to tell Sookie the truth when Pam rushed in.

"Emergency, Bill," she said flatly, ignoring Sookie.

"What's wrong?" chimed Sookie and Bill simultaneously.

"_Vampire _business. Fairy ears needn't concern themselves," snarled Pam who was already walking across the foyer and into the other living room, her stiletto heels rapping loudly against the newly waxed, wooden floor.

"Sheesh, she sure is in a shitty mood lately," Sookie said under her breath, ignoring her prior resolution to not upset Pam. "You vamps almost always drag me into your business anyways," she shouted.

Pam turned around. "Yeah, well you'll get your present for it soon enough."

"My apologies, Sookie," replied Bill, stepping between the two women. "I must go see what the fuss is about."

"Yeah whatever," said Sookie rolling her eyes. She spotted cars pulling up. "I should go help Ms. Bellefleur welcome the company anyways. Gran would be ashamed if I wasn't a good hostess."

When Bill walked into the other room, he noticed that Pam had shed her cloak and that she was holding a stake in her hands.

"Are you planning on having me meet the true death?" Bill asked coolly. He flashed some fang at Pam, informing her that he was ready to duel.

"Get a grip, Bill. I'm not here to stake you," she replied, walking over to the fireplace. She picked up one of the slender sticks and tossed it to him. "However, Russell Edgington might. He escaped from that utterly ineffective cement prison where you and Eric locked him. You guys should have just let him fucking fry outside Fangtasia or at least staked him when you had the chance. Now we're all fucked, 'cause he's coming after us. You might want to sharpen that," she added, pointing to the firewood.

"And how do you know he has escaped?" Bill asked, concerned.

"Alcide dropped by as soon as I woke. He said that he received a call that some large hole with a person shaped indent and some broken silver chains were found in one of his parking structures. Sound familiar?"

"God damn it," yelled Bill. He sat on the couch. "Did you notify Eric?" he questioned after a moment.

"I tried," Pam responded impatiently, hands on her hips. "He still isn't picking up his phone, but I suppose that's because Öland doesn't have good cell reception."

"He's in Öland?"

"Yeah," replied Pam. "I could feel him after you and I spoke on the phone the other day. He's somewhere fucking freezing and windy. The only place he would go with that kind of weather is Öland." Pam walked over to the window and looked outside, searching for any sign of trouble. "Windy shit-hole, that place is. I've told Eric that he should just sell that dump but -"

"What are we going to do now?" interjected Bill. "We're going to have to call off this ball. If Russell has escaped, he's going to come find you, me, Sookie and Eric. We can't have him coming here with all these humans. We have to get Sookie."

"That won't be necessary," replied a familiarly sinister voice.

Bill and Pam wheeled around to discover Russell Edgington restraining a struggling Sookie. Behind them on the ground lay the decapitated bodies of several of Bill's private bodyguards.

"This place almost looks better than my house in Mississippi," admired Russell. His fangs gleamed in the all the bright lights.

"Let her go!" ordered Bill. "She has done nothing to you. It's me you want."

Russell ignored Bill, dragging Sookie underneath some mistletoe. "God, I love Christmas! Talbot and I used to go all out for the holidays." He looked off into the corner of the room where Sookie had erected another splendidly decorated tree. "My fairy princess," he cooed at Sookie. "Did you arrange all this? You must give me the number of your decorator."

"Let me go!" screamed Sookie. She was kicking her feet and struggling to pull Russell's arms off of her, but, at over 3,000 years old, he was too powerful.

Russell changed the subject. "Talbot and I liked creating our own traditions. Every year it would be something different." Pam and Bill watched in nervous silence as Russell began to reminisce. "One year," he laughed, "Talbot even had snow flown in so we could play in it. Oh Talbot..." A single red tear rolled down Russell's cheek.

"How did you escape, you crazy son-of-a-bitch?" Pam asked, stake still in her hand.

"Don't even try with that stake, you insufferable bitch. I am over 3,000 years old!" Russell bellowed, shaking Sookie. "You forget that a countless number of wolves in Mississippi have had my blood – a lot of my blood. It was only a matter of time before they tracked me down." He began to rub his nose down Sookie's neck, sniffing deeply. "Oh, you smell even more incredible than the last time I fed on you!" he exclaimed in astonishment.

At this moment Bill snatched the stake out of Pam's hand and sped towards Russell. He was determined to keep Sookie safe, no matter the cost. As he leapt, raising the stake over his head, Russell punched him in the stomach, the blow throwing Bill against the wall. Sookie screamed.

"Why so hostile, Bill?" asked Russell, laughing at his feeble attempt. "It's the holidays! I'm only here to start another tradition." His voice trailed off. "…My first without Talbot." He held Sookie's cheek up to his mouth, licking her face. "Not counting the Christmas I spent in a cement block, of course," he added, tapping her on the nose.

"And…what's that?" asked Bill, struggling to his feet.

"A fairy feast, of course!" squealed Russell. "And afterwards, my dear," he whispered, gripping Sookie's face in his free hand, "I will eviscerate you of all your organs and hang them on my own Christmas tree."

Eric stood against a tall tree, admiring the full moon. His regular black attire contrasted greatly with the illuminated white landscape. Because it was winter, he had the beach to himself and he was enjoying his quiet view of the Baltic Sea. Though it was snowing and he could feel the wind as it blew through his hair, he didn't feel cold. That was a feeling he had lost a long time ago.

He took his iPhone out of his back pocket and checked the date. He sighed. "The ball is tonight," he thought to himself. He noticed he had no missed calls or text messages.

"Strange. No angry messages from Pam asking where I am or informing me of some problem. Everything must be in order." He paused, doubtfully. "Then again, I've been at the farm this whole time and I do get shitty service here. I'd better go into town."

Eric decided to walk and enjoy the winter night. It had been a long time since he had been back to Öland. He still owned the land where his father was once king, yet in all the time that had passed, he had refused to renovate it. The only thing he did add was a basement underneath the old ruin, so that he could stay for extended periods of time without getting the bleeds.

Suddenly, Eric tensed and a wave of palpable fear swept over his entire body. He could feel his blood vibrating in his veins. He immediately knew that Sookie was in trouble and that she was terribly frightened. However, what he saw next was completely unexpected. Closing his eyes, he saw Sookie, beautifully dressed in a sparkling white gown for the ball. She was walking through Caroline Bellefleur's house admiring her handiwork. Then, hearing the doorbell ring, she walked into the foyer, where Caroline was already welcoming guests. She put on a smile and began to lead the guests who had already entered into the dining area for hor d'oeuvres. A series of loud snaps caught her ear and she turned to see a headless Caroline fall to the ground, as well as several of Bill's guards. Russell Edgington swiftly stepped over the bodies and sped towards Sookie, clasping his hand forcefully over her mouth.

Eric opened his eyes. Though vampires could sense the emotions and location of those who had tasted their blood, their ties to those individuals have never been strong enough to materialize as actual visions. However, he didn't have time to form an explanation - Sookie was in peril. In a moment, Eric shot into the sky, flying towards Bon Temps. He didn't know whether or not he would make it in time, but he hoped that if Sookie was at the ball, then Bill and Pam should be there too. Hopefully they could distract Russell long enough for him to get to Bon Temps.

"If ever there was a time to use those lightning powers of yours or any other power you have," thought Eric, as he streaked across the Atlantic Ocean, "It's now."


End file.
